Researchers looking into toxins that Blue-Green Algae release into the air

LEE COUNTY – In a fourth-floor Marine and Environmental Sciences lab at Florida Gulf Coast University, algae are the star of the show.

"We get sent samples from across the U.S.," said FGCU Water School student Trinity Allan.

More specifically, researchers like Trinity Allan are looking into Blue-Green algae to learn more about the toxins they produce and how much of it we breathe in during a bloom.

As of now, detailed guidelines for exposure to these toxins only really exist for drinking water or recreation—it’s a vast difference from the amount of guidance we see when compared to red tide.

"We have a good base data [set] about red tide, but we don't have that for the blue-green algae and so we're trying to provide that baseline data so we know where to jump off from," said Allan.

Collecting that "baseline data" is such a passion project for Allan that she has dedicated her Master's thesis to the topic.